BPKPN denies seeking high salary, luxurious cars

JAKARTA (JP): Secretary general of the newly-established State Officials Wealth Audit Agency (BPKPN) Amir Moe'in denied on Thursday reports that members of the agency had demanded a Rp 50 million (US$5.910) monthly salary and a luxurious car each.

"It's not true. BPKPN and its members have never presented such a proposal to the government," Amir told a media conference here.

He was responding to Minister of Administrative Reform Ryaas Rasyid who revealed on Tuesday that the 25-strong BPKPN has sought a Rp 50 million in monthly salary and a Toyota Crown sedan for each of its members.

Amir rectified Ryaas' disclosure, saying the high salary and car should be the prerogatives of the agency's chief.

"But how much the agency's top executive will be paid and whether he/she will be given an official car depends absolutely on the government," he said.

He said providing the agency's chief with a prestigious car is acceptable because even provincial police chiefs use Toyota Crowns as their official cars.

Amir said he has also proposed a gross monthly salary of Rp 35 million for each of the agency's members. The high payment, he added, was expected to help the agency maintain its independence.

"The agency's members should be paid well because they are prohibited from working two jobs and some of the 25 members have quit their positions as lawyers and businessmen.

"The high salary is not a guarantee that they will not be involved in corruption or collusive practices but they will bear a moral obligation to avoid such crimes," he said.

Amir called on President Abdurrahman Wahid to install the new agency's members as soon as possible so that the new agency could function.

"So far, the government has yet to announce when the agency will start work and when its members will be installed while they have quit their previous jobs for two months," he said.

The President has yet to swear in the new agency's 25 members as the House has asked the government to expand the number of its members to at least 45.

Eleven of the agency's 25 members approved by the House are state or political party officials, including Yusuf Syakir, who is a member of Supreme Advisory Board and deputy chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) and Abdulla Herhamahua, who chairs the Islamic Community Party (PUI).

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) called on the government to turn down BPKPN's proposed high salaries due to lack of transparency in the recruitment of its members.

"It is better first of all for the agency members to demonstrate their performance to let the public assess whether its members deserve a high salary," Dolfie O.F.P., ICW's deputy coordinator, said in a press release on Thursday.

He said the selection of the agency's 25 members was conducted by the House of Representatives through fit and proper tests that lacked transparency.

"The public is actually pessimistic about the agency's performance because most of its members are not credible and we are suspicious that their selection is a compromise among political parties in the legislative body," he said. (rms)